Full text and audio: George Osborne’s 2015 Autumn Statement and Spending Review speech

Mr Speaker, this Spending Review delivers on the commitment we made to the British people that we would put security first. To protect our economic security, by taking the difficult decisions to live within our means and bring down our debt. To protect our national security, by defending our country’s interests abroad and keeping our citizens safe at home. Economic and national security provide the foundations for everything we want to support. Opportunity for all. The aspirations of families. The strong country we want to build.

Five years ago, when I presented our first Spending Review, our economy was in crisis and there was no money left. We were borrowing one pound in every four we spent. Our job then was to rescue Britain. Today, as we present this Spending Review, our job is to rebuild Britain. Build our finances. Build our defences. Build our society. So that Britain becomes the most prosperous and secure of all the major nations of the world. And